Goggle contoured for helmet engagement

ABSTRACT

A goggle ( 12 ), shaped to conform to a human face includes a body defining a top wall ( 19 ) and sidewalls ( 21 ) dimensioned to form a continuous contour which closely matches the shape and size of a facial aperture ( 41 ) formed in a helmet ( 38 ), thereby to form a smooth, contoured combined goggle and helmet exterior surface. At least one air intake aperture ( 24, 25, 26 ) communicates through the goggle lens ( 16 ) or goggle body to an eye cavity ( 18 ). At least one venting aperture ( 30 ) communicates through the sidewalls ( 12 ) of the goggle body with the eye cavity ( 18 ).

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.60/538,911, filed Jan. 23, 2004. The present application is also acontinuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/695,055,filed Oct. 27, 2003, which in turn is the continuation-in-part of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 10/098,980, issued as U.S. Pat. No.6,637,038, on Oct. 28, 2003, both incorporated herein by reference. Thepresent application is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 29/198,078, filed Jan. 23, 2004, incorporatedherein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to protective helmets and eyewear. Moreparticularly it relates to goggles having an aerodynamic design toencourage airflow through the eye cavity to prevent fogging and whichhave an exterior body contour adapted for engagement with the top andside edges of a protective helmet. When engaged the goggle along the topand side edges snugly fits into the front facing facial aperture on thehelmet and provides a smooth continuous aerodynamic surface that runsover the face of the goggle and continues onto the top and side of theengaged helmet.

2. Prior Art

Protective helmets and goggles are commonly worn by participants in manysports such as skiing, motorcycling, paintballing, field hockey,lacrosse, auto racing, and other sports which present an inherent dangerto the participant's eyes and head. Goggles and helmets are also arequirement for the military in areas with blowing sand, blowing water,or during parachute jumps, where soldiers need protection from theelements for their eyes and heads.

Commonly, however, the goggles are designed to be worn over the eyes,and the helmet is designed for wearing over the head, but the gogglesand helmet are not designed for easy concurrent use on the head of thewearer. Further, even if the user is able to fit both the helmet andgoggle on their head, frequently the two components are subject to windinterference due to the gaps and air pockets between the goggles andhelmet. Additional areas of concern are from the ever-present danger offogging of the goggles, especially when the goggle sides and top, whichmight be used to vent the goggle, are blocked by the helmet.

There is as such a pressing need for goggles which may be worn with orwithout a helmet and will be resistant to fogging. An especiallypressing requirement that remains unmet are goggles specificallycontoured to cooperatively engage substantially seamlessly with thehelmet as a unit, and which are easily mounted and unmounted from theuser's face. Further, a need for goggles which may be worn concurrentlywith the helmet and which minimize wind resistance as well as maximizeanti-fogging remains unmet.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The device herein disclosed features goggles which may be worn on thehead of the user and which have aerodynamic surfaces that work tomaximize air flow through the eye cavity behind the goggle lens andminimize or eliminate fogging of the lens. The goggles are additionallyadapted for cooperative engagement with a helmet to yield an especiallyaerodynamic combined helmet and goggle surface, yet still maximizeairflow through the eye cavity behind the lens. This is accomplished byforming the exterior contour of the side edges and top edge of thegoggle substantially similar to the side edges and top edge of thefacial cut-out of the helmet. When engaged in the facial cut-out, thetop and sides of the goggle mate with the top and side edges of thefacial cut-out, to form an especially aerodynamic structure thatminimizes wind turbulence on the goggles and helmet. The engaged gogglehowever still has a unique low pressure exhaust aperture which helpspull air from the eye cavity behind the lens to minimize fogging.

Maintaining the goggle on the face of the user and abutted to the facialcut-out is also improved by the disclosed device. Instead of theconventional strap used by common goggles not matched to the adjacenthelmet, the disclosed device employs two different means for engagingthe goggles to the helmet and biased on the user's face. One means forsuch engagement is provided by the use of an adjustable “U” shapedelastic cord which engages the goggle sidewalls at both distal ends andwraps around a helmet mount adapted to engage the cord thereover. Asecond means provided features one or more projecting pins that engageapertures in the facial opening of the helmet and hold the goggle on theface of the user with its contoured top and sides engaging the facialaperture of the helmet.

An object of this invention is to provide goggles which areaerodynamically dimensioned to maximize airflow through the eye cavityto minimize fogging.

Another object of this invention is the provision of such a goggle thatmay be worn with or without a helmet.

A further object of this invention is to provide such a goggle having anexterior contour along three sides that is dimensioned to cooperativelymate with the facial aperture of a protective helmet.

An additional object of this invention is the provision of such a goggleand helmet combination which forms a very smooth combined goggle andhelmet surface to minimize wind turbulence which might dismount othergoggles and helmets worn concurrently.

Yet an additional object of this invention is the provision of such acooperatively mating helmet and goggle combination that still maximizesairflow through the goggle eye cavity by using an aerodynamic flow overexhaust apertures of the goggle when engaged with the helmet.

Further objects of the invention will be brought out in the followingpart of the specification, wherein detailed description is for thepurpose of fully disclosing the invention without placing limitationsthereon.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of thisinvention will become more readily appreciated as the same become betterunderstood by reference to the following detailed description, whentaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective exploded view of the goggle disengaged from thehelmet.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the device showing the gogglecooperatively engaged with the helmet facial aperture using a matingcontour of the goggle exterior surface to that of the facial aperture ofthe helmet.

FIG. 3 depicts the goggle with an alternate means of attachment to thehelmet employing pins which engage apertures in the helmet casing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT EMBODIMENTS OF THEINVENTION

Referring now to the drawings, FIGS. 1-3 depict the various embodimentsand engagements of the present invention 10 composed of goggle 12adapted for engagement with the facial aperture 41 of a protectivehelmet 38 and featuring improved air extraction from the goggle 12 usingdirected aerodynamic airflow. A strap 11 is provided for retaining thehelmet on the head of the wearer.

The goggle 12 is shaped to conform to a human face on the inside surface14 which is conventionally covered in foam or similar soft material. Thegoggle lens 16 is operatively mounted in the body of the goggle 12 andconventionally is best curved around the face of the user to provideside viewing. In use as worn on a user, an eye cavity 18 is formedbehind the lens 16 and best defined by the area between the user's face,the lens 16, a top wall 19, sidewalls 21, and a bottom wall or ledge 27.

One or a plurality of intake apertures facing toward the front of thegoggle 12 when worn on the user's face are provided for the ingress ofair from the exterior to the eye cavity 18. Such intake apertures may besituated in one, a plurality, or all of, lower intake apertures 24 belowthe ledge 27, body intake apertures 25 formed in the body 12, and upperintake apertures 26 formed in the lens 16 or the top wall 19. The designand ornamental aspects of the individual goggle will generally dictatewhich individual or combination of intake apertures are provided.However, at least one intake aperture must be provided to communicateexterior air into the eye cavity 18. Also, such intake aperture mayextend through the lens 16 itself.

Venting of the eye cavity 18 is provided by the side venting apertures30 communicating through the sidewalls 21 on either side of the lens 16.As shown in FIG. 1, the goggle body 12, adjacent to the side ventingapertures 30 has clips 32 engaged on the two sidewalls 21.

Mounting to the head of the user, or more preferably to the helmet 38 isaccomplished using biasing means of attachment which biases the goggle12 toward the user's face in the form of elastic cord 32. The cord 32 orother elastic means of pulling the goggle snugly against the user'sface, when used in combination with the helmet 38 features a uniquemounting scheme. Conventionally goggle users attempting to also wear ahelmet use a goggle having flat strap which must either wrap around theuser's head under the helmet 38 or over it. Placing such a strap betweenthe scalp and helmet 38 tends to be uncomfortable over time and placingsuch a strap around the helmet itself can tear, or otherwise causefailure of, the goggle body over time and tends to slip off the smoothhelmet exterior causing continual dismounting problems.

In the disclosed device 10 this mounting problem is solved by the use ofa projecting cord mount or anchor 40 adapted to securely hold theelastic cord 32. Two cord mounts 40 are positioned on the exteriorsurface of both sides of the helmet 38. The cord mounts have an enlargedhead portion that stands out from the helmet to define a shoulderbetween the head and helmet. The shoulder portion of the cord mount 40defines a groove dimensioned to securely accommodate the elastic cord 32therein. The elastic cord is secured at its distal ends to throughapertures in the goggle sidewalls 21 and can be adjusted for length toincrease or decrease the facial bias by knotting or otherwise changingthe lengths of the elastic cord where it passes through the aperture inthe sidewalls 21. To make it shorter and increase bias, the user wouldsimply tie a knot or further up the cord once it is pulled through theaperture in the sidewall 21. A center section between the two distalends of the elastic cord engages over the cord mount 40 in a biasedengagement. This mounting system eliminates the aforementioned problemswith normal helmet and goggle combinations.

The goggles 12 are adapted for cooperative engagement with the helmet 38to yield an especially aerodynamic combined helmet and goggle surfacewhen engaged with minimal gaps therebetween as best shown in FIG. 2.This exceptionally smooth operating surface thus eliminates buffetingand dismounting that can be caused in high wind situations and gaps thatmight allow for injury in sports such as paintball. The close engagementis achieved by dimensioning the exterior contour of the side edges 21and top edge 19 of the goggle 12 substantially similar to the facialaperture side edges 42 and facial aperture top edge 44 formed in thehelmet 38. When engaged in the facial aperture 41, the top 19 and sides21 of the goggle 12 substantially mate with the top and side edges ofthe facial aperture 41, to form an especially aerodynamic structure thatminimizes wind turbulence on the goggles and helmet.

In cross-section, the top 19 and side 21 edges of the goggle can becontoured to closely match the cross-sectional contour of the helmetaperture top 44 and side 42 edges, for example, to define atongue-and-groove type interface. Also, not shown, a seal strip orsimilar device can extend along the top 44 and side 42 edges to effect aseal between the helmet aperture 41 and the goggle 12. The seal stripmay be composed of foamed rubber or other suitable material.

The engaged goggle 12 maximizes airflow to minimize fogging using itsunique low pressure formation by the side venting aperture 30 using acurved surface 46 which projects from the sidewall 21 just in front ofthe side venting aperture 30. In use, for skiing, snowboarding,motorcycling, motocross, paintball, military operations, and othersports and endeavors where non-fogging goggles are best employed,exterior air is communicated to the eye cavity 18 through theaforementioned combination of one or a plurality of intake aperturesindividually or combined. Forward movement by the user wearing thegoggle increases air pressure into the intake apertures aiding in movingpressurized air into the eye cavity 18 through the intake apertures.

The side venting apertures 30 with the aerodynamic shape or curve of thecurved surface 46 immediately in front of the side venting aperture 30,acts to increase airspeed over the side venting aperture 30 much likethe curved front edge of a wing on an airplane increases the airspeedover the top of the wing and provides lift or negative air pressure. Theincreased air speed over side venting aperture 30 thereby creates anegative air pressure zone immediately adjacent thereto and pulls airfrom the eye cavity 18 to prevent fogging. This negative pressureformation is provided both when the goggle is worn without the helmet,and when cooperatively engaged in the helmet facial aperture 41, withthe respective tops and sides of the goggle and helmet substantiallyabutted and minimizing gaps. As such, even when engaged with the helmet38 and achieving the smooth combined operating surface of the goggle andhelmet, negative air pressure is formed adjacent the side ventingapertures 30 to vent the eye cavity 18.

In another preferred embodiment of the device 10 shown the goggle 12 isshown in FIG. 3 with projecting pins 48 which would engage withdepressions or sockets formed in the facial aperture in positions toregister the goggle 12 in proper engagement in the facial aperture 41.Using the pins 48 instead of the elastic cord 32 may lessen the biasingadjustability provided by the cord 32 but would also provide an easiermeans for mounting to the user. A notch 50 formed around thecircumference of the pins 48 can be used to engage a spring loadedretaining pin (not shown) in the depressions to hold the pins 48 and thegoggle 12 in place with their respective side edges substantiallyabutted.

While all of the fundamental characteristics and features of the presentinvention have been described herein, with reference to particularembodiments thereof, a latitude of modification, various changes andsubstitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosure and it will beapparent that in some instance, some features of the invention will beemployed without a corresponding use of other features without departingfrom the scope of the invention as set forth. It should be understoodthat such substitutions, modifications, and variations may be made bythose skilled in the art without departing from the spirit or scope ofthe invention. Consequently, all such modifications and variations areincluded within the scope of the invention.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated anddescribed, it will be appreciated that various changes can be madetherein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

1. A helmet engageable goggle comprising: a goggle body having anexterior surface and an interior surface and having a lens aperturesurrounded by a top wall, a bottom wall, and two sidewalls; a lensmounted in said lens aperture; an eye cavity defined by the area betweensaid interior surface, said lens, said top wall, said bottom wall andsaid two sidewall; at least one intake aperture communicating throughsaid lens or said goggle body with said eye cavity; at least one sideventing aperture communicating through one of said sidewalls of saidgoggle body with said eye cavity; said top wall and said sidewallsdimensioned to form a single contiguous contour; said single contiguouscontour adapted to substantially abut with the top edge and side edgesof a facial aperture formed in a helmet when said goggle is engaged insaid facial aperture; and means to attach said goggle to a helmet. 2.The helmet engageable goggle of claim 1, wherein said attachment meanscomprising an elastic line extending from the goggle sidewalls to engagean anchor disposed on a helmet.
 3. The helmet engageable goggle of claim2, wherein said anchor having an enlarged head portion standing out froma helmet to define a shoulder for receiving the elastic line.
 4. Thehelmet engageable goggle of claim 1, wherein said attachment meanscomprising at least one pin projecting from the goggle sidewalls toengage receiving sockets formed in a helmet.
 5. The helmet engageablegoggle of claim 1, further comprising: an exterior surface of saidgoggle sidewall dimensioned to create a low air pressure areaimmediately adjacent to said side venting aperture when moving airtravels over said exterior surface, whereby air flow exhausting fromsaid eye cavity through said side venting aperture is enhanced by theforce of said low pressure area acting to draw higher pressure air insaid eye cavity out through said side venting aperture.
 6. The helmetengageable goggle of claim 1, further comprising: a helmet; said helmethaving a facial aperture, said facial aperture having a top edge and twoside edges; and said helmet top edge and two side edges substantiallyformed to mate with said single contiguous contour of said goggle. 7.The helmet engageable goggle of claim 6, further comprising: an exteriorsurface of said goggle sidewall dimensioned to create a low air pressurearea immediately adjacent to said side venting aperture when moving airtravels over said exterior surface during engagement of said goggle insaid facial aperture, whereby air flow exhausting from said eye cavitythrough said side venting aperture is enhanced by the force of said lowpressure area acting to draw higher pressure air in said eye cavity outthrough said side venting aperture.
 8. A helmet and goggle combination,comprising: a. a helmet comprising a facial aperture defined by a topedge portion and side edge portion to form a contiguous contour; b. agoggle comprising: a body shaped to define an exterior side and aninterior side, said body also defining a lens aperture formed by a topwall, a bottom wall and two sidewalls; the lens mounted in said lensaperture; an eye cavity defined by the area between said body interiorsurface, said lens, said top well, said bottom well, and said twosidewalls; said goggle body top wall and sidewalls configured to form asingle continuous contour, said single continuous contour shaped andsized to substantially abut with the top end side edge portions of thefacial aperture of said helmet when said goggle is engaged with saidfacial aperture; at least one intake aperture communicating through saidlens or said goggle body with said eye cavity; and at least one ventingaperture communicating through said goggle body with said eye cavity;and c. means to attach said goggle to said helmet.
 9. The combination ofclaim 8, wherein said at least one venting aperture communicatingthrough at least one of said sidewalls of said goggle body.
 10. Thecombination of Clam 9, further comprising an exterior surface of saidgoggle sidewall dimensioned to create a low pressure area immediatelyadjacent to said sidewall venting aperture, wherein when moving airtravels over said exterior surface, the air flow exhausting from saideye cavity through said venting aperture is enhanced by the force ofsaid low pressure area acting to draw high pressure air disposed in saideye cavity out through said venting aperture.
 11. The combinationaccording to claim 8, wherein said attachment means comprising anelastic cord extending from the goggle sidewalls to engage an anchordisposed on said helmet.
 12. The combination according to claim 10,wherein said anchor having an enlarged head portion disposed outwardlyfrom said helmet to define a shoulder portion between said enlarged headportion and said helmet for receiving the elastic cord.
 13. Thecombination according to claim 8, wherein said attachment meanscomprising at least one pin projecting from said goggle body sidewallsto engage close-fitting sockets formed in adjacent portions of saidhelmet, when said goggles are engaged with said facial aperture of saidhelmet.